Island



N0 Model.)

T. OOYLE.

FORK.

Patented Apr 21, 18.85.

: villi"!!! IllIIlI/flllllfflI/llllllfll ?ffflf4 4 44 WITNEEEEEIJNVINTUE N PETERS Phnlo Lnhogmphcr ashmgmn D C Nrra 5 'rars s THOMASCOYLE, or ArPonAUc, nnonn ISLAND.

FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,33%, dated April21, 1885.

(No mtdcl.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS COYLE, of Apponaug, in the county of Kent andState of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement inForks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of forks for culinary or table usewhich are provided with an attachment for removing any substance fromthe prongs without grasping such substance with the hands or with anyother separate implement; and the object of my invention is to produce afork of this class in which the sliding attachment shall be so disposedas to render the implement as compact and neat in appearance and asconvenient to use and clean as an ordinary fork.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the provision of a forkprovided with a spring-slide having its rod Working within the handle orshank and extending outward between the prongs of the fork, ashereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure1 is a side elevation of myimproved fork. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view, partly in elevation, of amodified form of the fork.

In the said drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, A designates a hollow handle, thelower end of which is closed by a cap, a, and one side of which isformed with an elongated slot, a.

B designates the shank of the fork, which is also hollow, and is formedupon or secured to the upper end of the handle A, and which terminatesat its outer end in two or more prongs, b.

O designates a rod, which extends loosely through the shank B, andcarries at its outer end a slide or head, a, which surrounds the prongsof the fork. At its lower end the rod 0 carries a knob, c, which extendsthrough the slot ct of the handle A.

d designates a coiled spring, which is placed Within the handle A, oneend being secured to the plug a and the other end to the inner end ofthe rod 0, and said spring acts contractively to hold the rod Odow'nwardwithin of the shank and a collar, 0', which is formed.

upon the inner end of the rod 0. This rod 0 works within the shank, andhas the slide 0 surrounding the prongs, as before, and also the knob c,which extends through the slot 1). The spring d acts expansively to holdthe rod down into the shank.

It is optional as to what material shall be used in the construction ofmyimproved fork, horn, wood, bone, or metal being suitable for thepurpose.

When a substance is being impaled upon the prongs, the slide is notmoved, but is held out of the way by its spring; but when the substanceis to be removed from theprongs, instead of grasping the substance andpulling it off by the fingers-an unpleasant feeling and appearingoperation-the slide is pushed along upon the prongs by pressure appliedto the knob and knocks the substance off of the prongs. Upon releasingthe knob the spring will automatically retract the slide. The slotlimits the movements of the rod and slide, and is of such length as topermit of the effective action of the slide upon the prongs.

It will thus be seen that the working parts of the attachment are almostwholly concealed within the handle or shank, so that the implement isneat and compact in appearance, convenient to use, and easy to clean,instead of being clumsy in appearance and difficult to clean,owing tothe exposed position ofparts, as is the case with previous forms offorks of this class.

I do not wish to be understood as confining ICO myself to precisedetails of construction, as 2. The combination, with the ,hollow hanmyinvention contemplates numerous variadle having the recessed-end, of theslotted tions in such particulars. shank having the prongs, the rod andspring Having thus described my invention, I claim located within theshank, and the slide mount- 15 5 asnew and desire to secure by LettersPatent ed upon the rod and working between the 1. As an improved articleof manufacture, prongs, as set forth.

a fork having a spring-slide working between its prongs, and the stem ofsaid slide project- THOMAS GOYLE ing from within the handle or shank ofthe Witnesses:

1o fork and working between its prongs, as de- J. A. MILLER, Jr.,

scribed. i M. F. BLIGH.

